The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has published the results of an independent drive test conducted in Fazilka city and adjoining areas in Punjab during August 2026. The test assessed the real-time quality of mobile network services—both voice and data—provided by four telecom service providers operating in the region. The findings are now available to help consumers understand network performance and encourage service improvements.
Key facts
- Drive test conducted from 5 to 7 August 2026 across Fazilka city and adjoining areas in Punjab Local Service Area (LSA)
- Coverage assessment: City drive route of 184.6 kilometres, walk test of 1.9 kilometres, and 6 hotspot locations tested
- Four telecom operators assessed: Airtel, BSNL, Jio (RJIL), and Vodafone Idea (VIL)
- Tests conducted under supervision of TRAI Regional Office Jaipur
- Multiple parameters measured: signal coverage, call drop rates, data speeds, packet loss, and call quality
What the drive test measures
The Telecom Regulatory Authority conducts these independent drive tests to verify the quality of service parameters that telecom companies are required to maintain. The test uses multiple advanced handsets with SIM cards from each operator to establish live voice and data sessions across 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G networks. Real-time monitoring software captures performance data which is then analysed and published.
The assessment covers several key quality indicators: signal strength coverage across the area, the rate at which calls are successfully set up, how many calls drop unexpectedly, delays in data transmission, data download and upload speeds, packet loss during data transmission, and speech quality during voice calls.
Coverage and voice service performance
Signal coverage across the test route varied among operators. Airtel showed the strongest coverage with only 178 samples out of 31,329 having poor signal strength. Jio had 295 poor samples out of 30,439. Vodafone Idea recorded 820 poor samples from 31,163 total samples. BSNL had the most coverage challenges with 1,575 poor samples from 31,183 total samples collected.
Dropped calls during the test were minimal across all operators. Airtel and Jio recorded zero dropped calls out of their successful connections (279 and 278 respectively). BSNL and Vodafone Idea each recorded 3 dropped calls, with BSNL dropping 3 from 281 established calls and Vodafone Idea dropping 3 from 248 calls.
Call silence instances—periods of more than 3 seconds without audio during a call—were also tracked. Airtel reported only 1 such instance from 268 calls. Jio recorded 3 instances from 272 calls. BSNL and Vodafone Idea had 4 and 6 instances respectively from their call samples.
Data service performance
Download and upload speeds showed significant variation among operators. Jio delivered the fastest average download speed at 271.44 Mbps, followed by Airtel at 204.39 Mbps. Vodafone Idea achieved 17.19 Mbps while BSNL recorded 15.59 Mbps. For upload speeds, Airtel led with 23.52 Mbps, Jio with 20.86 Mbps, Vodafone Idea with 15.10 Mbps, and BSNL with 6.39 Mbps.
Packet loss rates—the percentage of data packets failing to reach their destination—varied considerably. Jio had the lowest downlink packet loss at 0.32 per cent, Airtel at 0.33 per cent, Jio at 0.76 per cent, and BSNL at 2.68 per cent. For uplink, Jio again performed best at 0.42 per cent, followed by Airtel at 0.36 per cent, Vodafone Idea at 0.43 per cent, and BSNL at 2.90 per cent.
What this means for you
If you are a mobile user in Fazilka or surrounding areas, these results show which operators are delivering faster speeds and more reliable connections in your region. Users experiencing call drops or poor coverage can reference these findings. The data also reveals that 5G networks, where available through Airtel and Jio, deliver significantly better speeds than 4G or older technology networks offered by other providers.
The detailed drive test report, including maps showing the exact locations of coverage gaps and dropped calls, has been uploaded to the TRAI website. Telecom operators have been provided these findings and asked to take necessary corrective action where required.
Where to find more information
The complete drive test report and detailed maps are available on www.trai.gov.in. For queries, you can contact TRAI Regional Office Jaipur by email at adv.jaipur@trai.gov.in or by telephone at 0141-2701919.